High Court directs govt to ban PUBG, Free Fire for 3 months

The High Court today directed the government to put a stop to all kinds of "destructive" online games and apps like PUBG and Free Fire for the next three months to "save children and adolescents from moral and social degradation".

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain in 10 days why their inaction to ban online games and apps like TikTok, Likee, Bigo Live, PUBG and Free Fire should not be declared illegal. 

The HC bench of Justice Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah came up with the rule and order following a writ petition filed, seeking necessary directives, Assistant Attorney General Golam Sarwar Payel told The Daily Star.

On June 24 this year, two Supreme Court lawyers -- Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallob and Mohammed Kawsar -- submitted the writ petition to the HC as a public interest litigation on behalf of rights organisation Law and Life Foundation.

In the petition, they requested the HC to order the authorities concerned of the government to identify the persons involved in transaction of crores of taka and money laundering, using such apps and games.

At the same time, the petitioners urged the HC to form a committee with technologists, educationists and lawyers to recommend Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for banning games and apps that are harmful for the youths.

The petitioners said youngsters have become addicted to online games and apps like TikTok, Likee, Bigo Live, PUBG and Free Fire, and therefore, social values, education and culture are being affected.

Using such online games and apps, the youths are being involved in violence and unethical activities and that is why, such games and apps need to be banned on an urgent basis, the petitioners said.